Monday links

Don’t have time to scour the internet for the latest animal science, food safety, and agriculture news? Relax, we’ve got it covered.

Animal Science:

Seaweed can improve piglet health— All About Feed
With a naïve immune system, nursing piglets are prone to intestinal disorders that result in diarrhea. Unfortunately, with the increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance, alternative solutions must be found. Scientists say one such alternative is seaweed, or marine macro-algae.

Gov. Daugaard proclaims May as Beef Month — Farm Forum
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard has signed a proclamation declaring May as Beef Month, a yearly tradition in the state. There are 3.85 million head of cattle in South Dakota, which is nearly five beef animals to every state resident.

Food Safety:

New study deems dairy ‘excellent’ source of protein for children — University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental SciencesResearchers at the University of Illinois are studying the best way of evaluating protein quality in foods eaten by children by using pigs as a model, a method that was proposed by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations in 2011.

Agriculture is good for honey bees, scientists say— University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
While recent media reports have condemned a commonly used agricultural pesticide as detrimental to honey bee health, scientists with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture have found that the overall health of honey bee hives actually improves in the presence of agricultural production.

Soybeans are Shipping Out at Record Pace — AgWeb
The world can’t seem to get its fill of soybeans. Exports from the U.S. and Brazil, the world’s largest growers, are the highest ever for this time of year, and demand is poised to eclipse earlier government forecasts for a record this season.

Toxicology:

Stopping the opioid crisis in the womb — CNN
A pioneering — and controversial — obstetrician is helping those addicted to opioids by shattering the common medical belief that detoxing during pregnancy could lead to the death of the fetus.

Offbeat:

Did Medieval Religious Rules Drive Domestic Chicken Evolution?— The Poultry SiteSince being domesticated, chickens have acquired a number of traits that are valuable to humans, although it’s unknown when and why these traits evolved. Now, an international team of scientists has pinpointed when these traits started to increase in frequency in Europe: during the rise of Christianity and urbanization. Could medieval religious rules have increased the demand for poultry and thereby altered chicken evolution?